Automation Needs Determination Using AHP Approach

There is consensus among researchers that identification of automation needs is necessary for any further hardware developments. To accomplish this goal, a clear division of automation levels, a comprehensive breakdown of construction activities to task levels, and a method for measuring automation concern are essential. This paper presents an automation spectrum with five automation levels: hand tools, manual-controlled devices, tele-controlled devices, pre-programmed devices, and cognitive robots. Forty-two basic construction tasks are defined to assist in identification and development of automation needs. An Automation Concern Index (ACI) for construction task using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is presented to assist in identifying automation needs. The Automation Concern Index serves as a base for automation needs evaluation and can be revised to fit in various construction environments by using the AHP approach.